Foot-power hammer.



Nu. 7l0,567,

Patented on; 7,- I902. E. F. snaecomss.

FOOT POWER HAMMER.

(Application filed. July 18, 1901.\

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(N0 Model.)

THE Nonms w'zrzns co', PHoro-Liwo WASHINGT ON. a. c.

(Application filed July 18, 1 901.)

2 Sheets-Shut 2.

(No Model.)

f luem folz a How e11 UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVARD F. EDGECOMBE, OF OUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO.

FOOT-POWER HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,567, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed July 18,1901. Serial No. 68,802. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that LEDWARD F. EDGECOMBE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Guyahoga Falls, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Power Hammers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to foot-power hammers, more particularly to that class of devices designed for the purpose of welding the successive links of chain by means of blows delivered upon a lower or anvil die of appropriate shape by a pivoted sledge, usually spring-poised, actuated by the movement of the foot of the operator and carrying the upper or complementary die of the couplet.

The object of my invention is to provide in a device of the nature stated mechanism, including a toggle-joint, yieldingly supported by and in connection with a main and a cushion spring and arranged in such manner that the pressure of the foot is most strongly resisted by the mainspring at the start of the hammer and the power compressing the spring increased as the hammer falls. Thus an operator familiar with the invention and knowing the rate at which the mainspring is overcome from start to stop of the hammer can gage both the strength of the needed impulse and the time during which it must be applied to produce with least labor a blow of a certain amount or effect.

A further object of my invention is to assemble new and improved elements for causing what is known as a gathering blow, particularly useful in the operation of chain welding, and still another object of my invention is to introduce means for adjusting the anvil-die and the ham mer-die with respect to each other in a variety of different positions.

Each constituent element of my invention is described in detail, and its individual office, together with the mode of operation of the whole, fully explained hereinbelow.

Of the accompanying drawings, throughout which like numerals refer to like parts, Figure 1 is a side view of my invention having pieces of the structure brokenaway to show interiorly-located parts; and Fig. 2 is a front view, portions of the base being likewise removed in this figure to exhibit mechanism and attachments normally hidden from View.

Considering the drawings, numeral 1 designates a base or foot plate upon which is erected, usually as an integral portion of the same casting, a columnar stand 2, open at the back.

Numeral 3 marks a shelf suitably bolted to the column near the top. At its top the column is furnished with or formed into a horizontal laterally-projecting bench 4, the side overhang of the bench being strongly supported by the bracket-plate 5, which may also constitute a partof the single casting to which the column and foot-plate belong. No particular form is reserved for either of the elements thus far described.

Numeral (3 marks the anvil, ordinarily a rectangular block fixed upon the bench by the screws 7 and S. The anvil may be provided with any suitable apertures, such as that designated 9 and shown (see Fig. 2) immediately above the projecting lip 10 of the bench, for the insertion of various tools and attachments called for by the operations of chain-welding or metahforging of any sort capable or being accomplished by my invention. It will be noted that anvil 6 possesses a raised portion l1,and, as bestshown in Fig. 2, this raised portion of the anvil is recessed transversely. The bottom of the recess offers a finished surface 12 and the right wall of the recess an inclined surface 13, upon and against which the lower or anvil die 14 is adjustable, and it is secured in place by the setscrew 15 and jam-nut 16, acting through and against the left-hand wall of the transverse recess mentioned. The die 1a may bemoved forward or backward in the recess, and this movement is most conveniently effected by the set-screw 17 and jam-nut 18, acting through and against the surface of a rearwardly-dropped extension 19 of the die.

\Vhen the hammer is employed for ordinary forging purposes, the anvil-die 1e may be removed or replaced by any other block of suitadjustment and arrangement are and able shape. As illustrated, the anvil-die 14 is a link-holding die, the link of a chain in the operation of forging being placed about the raised portion of the die.

Considering Fig. 1 there will be noted inclining downwardly to the rear of the column an arm 20, really an extension of anvil 6, and at the farther extremity of the arm the hammer-bar 21 is pivoted by pin or bolt 22, secured by nut 23. At its free end the hammer-bar merges into a head 24, customarily of the shape illustrated. The upper or hammer die 25 has a base which is actually a portion of a cylindrical surface, and the die-seat 26 in the ham mer-head corresponds with base of the die in form. Die 25 is held to its seat in the hammerhead by the bolt 27, passing upwardly through the head and clamped by nut 28, the lower end of bolt 27 being tapped into the die. It will be noted that the hammer-head has a raised portion at the top marked 21* and that the surface 21 of this raised portion is part of a cylindrical surface having the same axis as the die base and seat. In Fig. 1 also appears the upwardly-diverging slot 21, through the hammer-head and raised portion 21. Bolt 27, within slot 21 and nut 28 on the cylindrical surface 21 ,have lateral movements, the efiect of which is to turn die 25 on its seat, and it may then be clamped in a position inclined to the anvildie 14. The adjustment just described is employed to change the point of delivery of the blow with reference to a link or links in the operation of welding, the link meanwhile remaining solidly supported in the lower or anvil die. It may also be noted here that when the hammer is intended to be used for ordinary forging or blacksmithing work a suitably-shaped sledge-die is substituted for the die 25.

Again considering Fig. 1, it will be ob served that the pivot 22 of the hammer-bar is situated belowoften as much as twenty degrees below-the meeting plane of the dies. It follows from this arrangement that while the dies meet face to face when in the positions drawn the blow of the hammer is not delivered directly downward, but rather forward and downward, resulting in an indirect stroke, termed a gathering blow and found by experience to be particularly useful for chain-welding purposes. I am aware that this lowering of the pivot below the dies has been previously done, and introduce this statement here only as part of the description of my invention.

To cause the hammer bar and head to operate as desired, I em ploya treadle 29, of any chosen form, pivoted by bolt 30 upon a projection of the foot-plate 1. Number 31 marks the cushioning or treadle spring, the office of which is to react directly upon the treadle, making it practicable to strike light quick blows with the hammer, although the main ror heavy 32,which blows. Spring 31 encircles the spoo possesses a relatively larger head 32, a tapering portion 32 and asmaller head 32. Projecting inwardly and actually a part of column 1 is the bracket 33, having in its end a recess 33". Into the recess the cylindrical part of spool 32, just above head 32 is passed, and spring 31 is confined between bracket 33 and the greater head of the spool as drawn. A rod 34 extends centrally through the spool and joins the treadle pivotally. Rod 34 has a threaded end 34' uppermost, and by means of nuts 35 and 36 the tension of the treadlespring may be adjusted. A connecting-rod 3'7 pivotally joins the treadle and the hammer-bar, and the bolt 38 constitutes a common pivot for the connecting-rod and one leg or link 39 of a toggle-joint, the other leg being marked 40. This second leg, which is usually the shorter, has at its upper end a spherical or barrel-shaped head 41, fitting within a correspondingly-shaped cavity 42, formed in the lower surface and at the junction of arm 20, previously described as part of the anvil-casting, and the anvil. I introduce the ball-and-socket joint described to permit the unavoidable vibration consequent upon working the hammer to expend itself at this point either in the planes in which the parts move or to a limited extent sidewise. I have found it advantageous not to have all the pivoted junctions rigidly held to one plane of movement only and that the life of the apparatus in good working order is materially lengthened by the universal connection just specified. The two legs of the toggle and the mainspring-rod 43 are pivotally secured together by the bolt 44. The rod 43 has a threaded portion 45, and upon this portion is the cup-nut 46, forming a suitable seat for the top coil of the mainspring 47. A lower seat 48 for the mainspring rests upon the bracket 49, cast upon the interior and near the base of the column. The rod 43 passes movably through the lower seat 48 and bracket 49, and the spring encircles the rod, as shown. By means of the cup-nut 46 or similar device the mainspring may be compressed to a certain extent, requiring thereafter the exertion of greater force to continue the compression and bring down the hammer, but resulting in the quicker return of the hammer to its uppermost position. As illustrated, the treadle and hammer-bar are shown in their lowest positions. These parts are normally held at their highest places by the two springs, and in Fig. 1 the broken lines show the point reached by the toggle and the head of the mainspring-rod at their highest-position. In the operation, as the hammer leaves its highest place the resistance of the mainspring 47 is most directly opposed to the foot force exerted, and the workman very soon learns to determine how much more pressure than is needed to overcome the mainspring must be applied, and during what intervals of time, in order to finally strike a blow of desired violence. When the hammer-bar descends, the angle between the legs of the toggle becomes more acute. The shorter leg 40 and mainspringrod 43 would, ifthe movement could continue far enough, fall in one straight line, and no further compression of the mainspring would take place. As a matter of fact, the amount of compression of the mainspring, referred to equal divisions of the time, decreases from the start of the hammer, and this is due to the toggle construction. The spring is by means of the toggle compressed through a continually-lessening distance in like succeeding intervals of time, but with increasing power. In proportion to the lessening compression of the mainspring the energy previously demanded therefor is now free to add to the moment of the hammer. The strength of the mainspring is such as to lift the hammer promptly, but is never sufficient to call for extra effort merely to effect its compression.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. Inafoot-powerhammer,thecombination of a pivoted hammer-bar and supports therefor, devices adapted to depress the hammerbar, a mainspring normally supporting the said hammer-bar in its raised position, and a toggle-joint pivotally connecting the hammerbar, mainspring and the said supports, substantially as described.

2. In a foot-power hammer,the combination of pivoted hammer-bar and supports therefor, devices adapted to depress the hammerbar, a mainspring normally supporting the said hammer-bar in its raised position, and connections pivotally joining the said hammer-bar, mainspring and the said supports, the said connections havingincluded in their organization a ball-and-socket joint, substantially as described.

3. In afoot-powerhammer,thecombination of a pivoted hammer-bar and supports therefor, devices adapted to depress the hammerbar, a mainspring normally supporting the said hammer-bar in its raised position, and a toggle-joint pivotallyconnectingthe hammerbar, the said mainspring and the said supports, the said toggle-joint possessing a balland-socket joint with the said supports for the hammer-bar, substantially as described.

at. In afoot-p0werhammer,the combination of a pivoted hammer-bar and supportingstand therefor, a treadle and a connectingrod adapted to depress the hammer-bar, a spring connected with and yieldingly supporting the treadle, a mainspring normally supporting the said hammer-bar in its raised position, and a togglejoint pivotally connecting the hammer-bar, the mainspring and the said supporting-stand, one leg of the toggle having a ball-and-socket joint with a relatively fixed portion of the said supportingstand, substantially as described.

5. In a foot-power haminer,the combination of a pivoted hammer-bar and mechanism constructed and arranged for operating it, the said hammer-bar possessing a head provided with a hollow cylindrical die-seat, a hammerdie having one side formed to fit the die-seat, the said hammer-die being adjusted in its seat, adjustable clamping devices whereby the said hammer-die is secured in its seat, and an anvil, substantially as described.

6. In a foot-power hammer,the combination of a pivoted hammer-bar and mechanism constructed and arranged for operating it, the said hammer-bar possessing a head provided with a die-seat having the form of part of a hollow cylindrical surface transversely disposed, a hammer-die having one side in the form of a protuberant cylindrical surface corresponding to the said die-seat, the said die being adjustable in its seat, adjustable clamping devices whereby the said die is rigidly secured in its said seat, an anvil, an anvildie, and means adapted for adjusting the anvil-die horizontally and for securingit'upon the anvil, substantially as described.

7. In a foot-powerhammer,the combination of a hammer-bar having at one end a raised portion provided with a curved surface constituting part of a cylinder, the hammer-bar having also a die-seat comprising a surface corresponding in form to and concentric with the said part-cylindrical surface of the hammer bar raised portion, a slot extending through the hammer-bar from the die-seat to the said raised portion, a clamping-bolt passing through the said slot of the bar, and a hammer-die engaging the lower end of the said bolt and adjustable on the said die-seat, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD F. EDGEOOMBE.

l Vitnesses:

O. F. PLUM, O. F. WILCOX. 

